Builder of 52 ft temple tower identified

Published: Friday, October 19, 2007, 18:06 [IST]

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Shimoga, Karnataka, Oct 19 (UNI) The confusion over the construction of a 52 ft high tower in front of the Virupaksha temple at Hampi during the renovation of the temple in 1663 AD has been cleared now with the finding of the exact name of the builder by a History Researcher Ms Vasundara Desai of Shimoga who also belonges to the same family.

According to Ms Desai, one Bistappaiah, a staunch worshipper of Hampi Virupaksha, also a great social worker had built the tower during the Vijayanagara period.

The confusion regarding identity of the builder of the famous tower, which had the tallest and the largest tower in the Vijayanagara Empire, has finally been put to rest with the publication of the relevant historic records, inscriptions and write ups.

Ms Desai said Bistappaiah had taken pains to rebuild all the ruined towers in Hampi, Bellaary, Gadag and Dharwad districts, during his period. Artistically, the magnificent tower had a steep pyramid shape and was divided into ascending and diminishing storeys with a capping roof.

The researcher said according to histori and recorded evidence, Bistappaiah offered to sacrifice his life, as per an omen, to enable the tower which was being built to stand erect. He was perturbed to see that each storey of the tower used to collapse during its construction. The 11-storyed tower represents the symbol of mythological 'Ekadasha Rudraas' as per Tantric principles, she said.

According to the researcher, an interesting aspect of the tower was that the sunlight falling on the tower, casts a topsy-turvy shadow on the ground and the first rays fall directly on to the face of Virupaksha, the temple deity.

She said Bistappaiah, for his dedicated efforts, was awarded several medals and citations by kings and religious heads. The announcement of the new evidence ahead of the Dasara festival and the 'Hampi Utsava', throws new light on the greatness of the Vijayanagara Empire and solves the mystery of the tower's builder.